Haemophilus parasuis gene expression the in lung. Glaesserella parasuis str. Nagasaki

Purpose: Identify differentially expressed genes in pig lung, compared to growth on chocolate agar plate. Methods: In order to study the gene expression at this location, we sequenced ex vivo and in vivo H. parasuis transcriptome using a metatranscriptomic approach. Gene expression was compared with conventional plate culture. Results: down-regulation of anabolic and catabolic pathways, coupled with up-regulation of membrane-related genes involved in carbon acquisition, iron binding and pathogenesis. Conclusions: This data sheds some light on the scarcely studied in vivo transcriptome of H. parasuis, revealing nutritional virulence as an adaptive strategy for host survival. Overall design: To examine the gene expression during lung infection, ex vivo incubation of the bacteria in porcine lungs was carried out. To assess the validity of the ex vivo model, RNA was obtained from Nagasaki recovered from the lungs of a pig after a short in vivo infection.